L's Saving Grace
by Allidiah
Summary: Layna is sent to the Wammy's House after the death of her parents; two FBI agents involved in the Kira case. Word of her advanced intellect soon reaches L, who invites her to join the case.  Full summary in Chap 1. No OCxL. Probably better than it sounds.
1. Chapter 1

Can't write short summaries to save my life. Rated T for langage and violence that is bound to happen.

**Full Summary:** Layna is your average nobody from average nowhere, with the exception of her parents, two FBI agents. But when they are both killed while working on a case in Japan, a strange man comes to whisk Layna away to the Wammy's House, an orphanage and school for gifted children in Winchester, England. She begins to unravel the mystery behind the death of her parents, and the word of her intellect and resourcefulness reaches the world's greatest detective, L. Soon Layna is found stuck right in the middle of the very case her parents were working on and were killed for, the Kira case. The more time Layna spends on the case, the stranger the detective, L, appears, and she can't help but wonder what he's hiding…

**Author's Note:** I suck at summaries. If you cannot interpret my writing, here's the summary in a much simpler form:

Layna's FBI parents die, killed by Kira. She moves to the Wammy's House, gifted in forensics and problem solving. L hears about her through Watari. Layna is shipped to Japan. Death Note plot ensues, with a few deaths. The title, though it has more depth than the reason I'm telling you now, means "a quality that makes up for other generally negative characteristics; redeeming feature" (according to a dictionary). _*Spoiler.*_ L just might not die.

First Death Note fanfiction, so don't kill me if it sucks. No OCxL. Just a weird twist that comes in between the two characters. Oh, and L won't make his debut in my fanfic until about Chapter 5 or 6, and that'll practically just be over Skype. L should make his in-person appearance by, say, Chapter 10? Patience, my lovelies.

I do not own Death Note, nor any characters affiliated with it.

* * *

><p>"Love forty! Err, sorry Carmen!"<p>

Layna swung the tennis racket with a ferocity that was rare in the timid seventeen-year-old. Her opponent, Carmen, had little more than a second before the ball had already bounced once, making it just in time to swing and have the bright yellow ball soar over the net, but out of bounds.

Layna jogged forward and grabbed the ball. "Game," she said with a satisfied smirk. "Set." She bounced it once. "Match," Layna laughed, lightly tossing the ball to her friend, who almost fumbled it.

"Damn, Layna," Carmen said after they'd changed out of their gym clothes and walked out to the cafeteria. "Where'd you learn to play tennis like that?"

The raven-haired junior shrugged. "Mum's from England. I guess tennis is a big sport over there. She's been teaching me since I was six, when we moved to America."

"You amaze me Layna," Carmen said, shaking her head as they sat down at their table, isolated from the rest of the kids at lunch. "You have such an exotic background, money to burn, and you're gifted at the piano. Care to tell me why you don't use those things to your advantage?"

Prob'ly because FBI agents need as little attention brought to them as possible, and if Mum and Dad ended up in any spotlight whatsoever, they'll have my neck, Layna thought. A slight laugh escaped her mouth as she came up with a more believable answer. "Come on, Carmen. If I was as famous as you want me to be, would I be sitting with you instead of people who are actually like that?"

"I suppose not," Carmen mused.

But her brunette friend brought up an interesting point. It was true, Layna was gifted, with a strangely high intelligence and ear for music, but she was never allowed to flaunt it. She lived her life in the shadows, and that's where her parents kept her. But then again, they were overseas in Japan, working on a murder case, it's not like they'd find out if she did anything while they were away…

"Layna!"

The swift snapping in front of her face jolted Layna back to reality. Living in Middle-of-No-Where Arkansas, she had to admit, Los Angeles was a much more exciting place to live. But during the murder case that went on a few years before, her parents packed up and shipped the family out, just about as far from civilization as you could get in America. This was something that bugged Layna for a while. Why would two of the top FBI agents suddenly leave during one of the hardest cases during Layna's lifetime? Their expertise would've been well appreciated, if only they stayed…

Realizing her friend had yet again departed from their conversation, Carmen sighed. "You have the shortest human attention span in the history of ever. I swear, it's like talking to a freaking rock, the response I get out of you."

The insult brought Layna's train of thought to a screeching halt. "Hey!" she said, half-glaring at Carmen.

The brunette leaned back in her chair, triumphant. "Well, you're back to the year 2007, aren't you?"

Layna rolled her eyes. "You know me a little too well, don't you?"

Carmen laughed, but was suddenly cut off short. Layna followed her eyes to a man standing no less than three feet behind her. He looked old, with gray hair and a bushy mustache. His eyes were a pale, silvery-blue, as if he was blind.

"Miss Michelle?" he said. His English accent was so perfect and sounded so much like her mother's Layna knew instantly where he was from.

Despite what must've been a serious greeting, Layna had to bite back a laugh. After their move from California to Arkansas, her family had their last name changed from Lawsford to Michelle. Being only twelve, with her imagination her closest friend, Layna had adopted the last name as it being a game where she was a secret agent, and anyone who knew her real last name would kill her. However, whenever she heard her false last name as she grew older, she had to keep from laughing at her own stupidity.

The junior twisted in her seat to face the man. "Yes, sir?" Layna felt it best to address the man in an almost formal manner.

"Come with me," was all he said, before turning and walking away, not bothering to see if Layna was following.

"Go on," Carmen said. "I'm sure it's nothing." Her eyes, however, shone with a strange, worried light. "If he tries to kidnap you, just scream for me!" she called as Layna began walking away. The raven-haired girl tried not to turn around and glare at her friend, though her attempt to lighten the suddenly-wary mood was well appreciated.

Layna walked faster in order to catch up with the man, who did not stop to see if anyone was behind him until they had reached the school's lobby.

"Miss Michelle, I regret to inform you of this, but…"

No! No, no, no, no, no… Layna thought. There was only one reason someone would contact her during the day, without giving any information aside that which they came to deliver.

"Yesterday afternoon, agents Samuel and Rebecca Michelle were found dead in their apartment room in Japan."

Layna stared wide-eyed at the floor, not wanting to meet the old man's gaze, which she could feel was resting on her shoulders.

Put on a braver face, show no signs of disturbance, Layna told herself, forcing herself to lift her head, making eye contact with the man. "Cause of death?"

"Heart attack. It appears they both died within thirty seconds of each other."

That puzzled Layna. The chances of her parents, who were in near-perfect health conditions, to die of the same cause, less than a minute apart? It didn't sound true, but he didn't appear to be lying…

"The reports of your parents are not why I was sent here to you today," the man went on. "I am Watari, though as it appears your parents have raised you with etiquette, you may refer to me as Mr. Watari. As listed in your parents' will, I am to care for you from now on."

Will? That definitely sounded far-fetched to Layna. If her parents had a will, the least they could've done was mention it to her once.

"And where might you be taking me, Mr. Watari?" Layna half-hissed, still fighting back tears.

The old man's voice still remained a steady monotone. "I am a native of England, and because you are Rebecca Michelle's daughter, I presume you are as well, I own an orphanage in Winchester, England. While you will be, by no means, regarded as the same as anyone else there, I apologize for not being able to accompany you back to England, as I have important business in another area."

Layna's head was spinning. Yet another move. But this time, rather than actually care for her, Layna's "caretaker" would be flying halfway across the world. But there was one thing he mentioned that intrigued her. Mr. Watari was returning to Japan, to work on a case that resulted in the death of her parents... the details sounded familiar, if only she could remember the name…

"Miss Michelle," Mr. Watari began. "Have you, by any chance, heard about the Kira investigation, taking place in Japan?"

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><p>…it gets better than this. At least, I hope you think so.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Layna was silent for the next week. Watari had given her exactly one week since their meeting to gather her things. She spent the first hour doing so, before sobbing into her pillow, eventually crying herself to sleep. Layna ate little during the week, not quite having enough motivation to get up and move. This all very much shocked her. In truth, Layna had been waiting for a while now when her parents would be killed. After all, they were top FBI agents. It was inevitable. She supposed what really made it sting was the fact Mr. Watari was so insensitive to her. No more than a week after the tragic news, Layna was being shipped off, halfway across the world, all by herself, to an orphanage. An _orphanage_. It was hard for her to find any ray of hope in her gradually-darkening life.

Mid-way through the week did everything change. Instead of moping around the house, wallowing in self-pity and misery, Layna made up her mind to track down and figure out exactly how and why her parents died. Mr. Watari seemed like an honest man—at least, Layna hoped so—but there was still the chance, no matter how small, that he was misinformed.

It amazed Layna how much about the Kira investigation she never knew, and even more impressive was the information released to the public. Wouldn't such an important case be kept secret to the highest degree? Layna's mind was clouded with feelings of disgust and worry as quite a few sites showed support for Kira, whoever he was. The most-likely murderer of her parents had thousands upon thousands of supporters for his idea of a "new world". Whoever Kira was, his kingdom was growing at a startling pace.

When Google, Yahoo!, and Bing no longer became helpful assets to Layna around the fifth day of the week, she decided to take slightly more drastic measures, and snuck into her parents' office. At first, it took her awhile to find enough courage to consider that possibility, until she remembered that no one was coming home anyway.

The computer was passcode-locked, but she knew what it was to begin with. Once, when she was four and her parents never thought she was listening, she'd overhead her father tell her mother the password was "low light, how it sounds". As Layna had always been intellectually gifted, her memory held a vast landscape of her past, though she never quite could figure out her first memory: a scene of red and orange flames engulfing a large manor.

Layna shook her head to clear the thought. As well as being gifted, Layna was easily distracted. The on-screen keypad appeared, and she typed in "56954448". After sifting through various files, she came across one titled "Kira".

Up until that point, Layna never quite realized the extensiveness of the investigation. All she had gathered from the Internet was that criminals—and the occasional person opposing Kira—were dying around the world, mainly in Japan. It had been mentioned once or twice that Kira did not need to be present to kill, but Layna brushed off that detail. After all, it was from the Internet.

But the details of the investigation sent to her parents were astonishing. It proved the rumors about Kira's presence to be true. Kira only needed a face and a name to kill. Along with that, various theories about where Kira was were included. They had successfully determined Kira lived in the Kanto region of Japan, but how and why they thought to check there was not included. How the Japanese investigative force had determined all of that, it did not say. Included with the files was a list of all those who had been supposedly killed by Kira and how they died. The length of the list shocked Layna. How does one person kill that many people without being there? As she scrolled to the bottom of the list, she recognized a few names. Namely, her parents. As it turned out, Mr. Watari hadn't lied. Right next to Samuel Michelle and Rebecca Michelle were listed the time of death and cause of death: heart attacks, and if their assumptions were correct, both of them died within a minute of each other. Various names closer to the end of the list were also recorded in English, along with "FBI" next to their name. There were twelve FBI agents, all from America, all died of heart attacks, and all within four minutes of each other.

None of it made any sense to Layna, but the facts were right in front of her, with little she could do about it. Her discovery fuelled a strange, fiery thirst for revenge on Kira, for his mass murders, his inability to appear logical, and most obviously, for the death of her parents. Whoever Kira was, he was a lying, corrupted, and twisted pervert of justice.

Suddenly it hit her. If Mr. Watari had access to this information, which seemed to be open to a selective amount of people, then he must be involved in the case somehow. Layna considered any possibility she could be wrong, and realized there was no flaw in her thinking. There was about a 95% chance he was directly involved, and a 5% chance he was told all of this information because he was an important factor in the outcome. Either way, he knew more than he would care to let on, should the time come when Layna found the chance to ask him about the case.

_The day Mr. Watari arrived to tell me about my parents he mentioned he would not be accompanying me to England, because he had business elsewhere_, Layna thought. _I'd bet whatever's life of my measly life on the fact he's returning to Japan._

Layna scanned the desk for a flash drive, a hard drive, a disk, anything that could allow her to take the rest of the files she had yet to review with her. She owned a laptop, but it was to be used for, as her parents put it when she first got it, "research and school purposes only". Investigating the death of her parents seemed like a reasonable research topic.

The Kira case was a large file, but eventually Layna found a flash drive with a big enough memory storage to hold it. Once she reached wherever it was she was heading, she could view the case again from her laptop.

As she stood up and left the office, she took a glance around the office. Less than a month ago, she saw her mother talking on the phone, her father busily working at his computer. Layna's heart ached at the thought that she could never see them again. And as they were killed so far from home, the FBI might want to keep the whole situation quiet, to not stir up any panic in America, so it was unlikely they'd pay to have their bodies shipped to Arkansas. Not like she'd be here even if they did come back.

It was only then Layna realized what she was setting at stake if she were to pursue a role in stopping Kira. He proved that anyone who opposed him was better off dead. Layna's life was at stake if she was to take any action. Of course, that was if she was given the chance to take action. It was highly unlikely Mr. Watari would agree to allow a seventeen year-old work on the world's toughest murder case, and not because of her age, but because of her inexperience. Those working over in Japan would have to have lost their minds before they let her do anything for them, short of delivering mail.

Layna decided that at this point, it wasn't going to be who was going to let her help, but who was going to stop her from finding Kira. She didn't care about how long it took, she didn't care about what she'd have to do to find him, and she most definitely did not, and never would, care about the cost for waging a psychological war on Kira. Layna was going to hunt him down and find him, whether she was going alone or managed to drag others down with her.

_Besides_, she half-shrugged as she shut off the lights in the office. _It's not like there was anything left for me to live for anyway._

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

Realm (aka me) is an idiotic genius. I will elaborate for those of you who care.

I am an idiot for forgetting to reread Chapter 1 and add in my Italics.

However, I am a genius in the sense that gifted people tend to be perfectionists, and therefore do not take criticism easily. So if I fail to read reviews it's because I'm a coward. Huzzah.


	3. Chapter 3

Layna sat on the front step of her house, scanning the street for Mr. Watari's car. The two suitcases and a carry-on bag sitting next to her were all she would take to England.

At last, a small black limousine pulled up to the curb. Layna sighed and stood up. She slung her carry-on bag onto her shoulder, which contained her laptop, iPod, and flash dive with the Kira case. An eight hour flight would give her more than enough time to read through the files.

Mr. Watari helped her put her bags into the trunk and she slid into the backseat, head rested on her hand as she stared out the window.

"Miss Lawsford," the old man said as he climbed into the driver's seat. Layna flinched at the use of her real last name. "I would advise you to not dwell so much on this past week, and focus more on what lies ahead of you in England."

She raven-haired girl sighed. "With all due respect, Mr. Watari—"

"You may call me Watari."

Layna fought to keep from rolling her eyes and bit back a sharp retort about how she didn't like to be interrupted, even if she was only seventeen. "All right, Watari. With all due respect, a person doesn't hear the news of the death of people close to them and recover in a week."

For the rest of the ride to the airport, the strange pair rode along in silence. Upon arriving, Watari parked the car, got out and opened the door for Layna. She nodded a curt thank you, getting her bags from the trunk. Watari then proceeded to walk her to her gate.

"You are seated in first class," Watari told her while getting out her plane ticket. "The flight attendants have been told ahead of time who you are, where you are going, and that I am your caretaker and legal guardian. They have been instructed to assist you when you need help, and make your flight over as easy as possible." The old man forced a smile. "Though there is nothing they can do about jet lag."

Layna tried to smile back. "Thank you, Watari." This time, she actually meant it, though she still wasn't pleased with the fact she would be flying alone.

"I am boarding another flight, thirty minutes after yours, to Japan," Watari added. You should arrive in London before my plane lands, so you will need to find the train to Winchester, and you will not be able to contact me." He pulled a ticket out of his pocket and handed it to her. "The ticket is one-way, so make sure you get on the right train and get off at the right stop. When you get off, there should be a man named Roger Ruvie waiting for you, and he will take you to the Wammy's House, where you will be staying."

_Sounds like a mental institution,_ Layna thought.

"And before I forget," Watari handed Layna what looked like a dozen sheets of paper. "Because the plane ride is eight hours long, and the train ride two, I need to ask you to fill these out, so Ruvie will know where to put you classes-wise when you arrive. Sometime before you sleep, I recommend you fill them out."

Layna hardly heard him. There were sixteen sheets altogether, with questions on the front and back sides of the paper. Some had to do with math, others science, as well as a few literary questions. History, Layna's strongest subject, was absent. The last few pages simply had to do with Layna herself, asking things like what languages she spoke, what her interests were, what she wanted to achieve in life, things like that. She supposed she could fill out the complete test and survey in about an hour.

A female's voice rung out through an intercom. "All passengers boarding flight L82 to London, England may now board the plane."

"I suppose it's time for you to leave," Watari said, handing Layna her passport and ticket. "Ruvie will let me know when you've arrived."

And that was it. No 'goodbye', no 'be safe'. He could have just told her 'get on your plane' and it would've got across the same message.

Layna half-waved to the old man before walking down to the plane. Watari didn't lie, as soon as she found her seat in first-class, a flight attendant immediately asked her if there was anything Layna needed. After politely insisting she was fine to the attendant, and three others that followed in the next ten minutes before takeoff, Layna got out a pen and began answering the questions in the packet. She breezed through all the science in about five minutes, before backtracking to do the math questions, which took her about forty minutes. The literary questions took the longest, about an hour. It was understandable, English, reading, language arts; they all didn't have a direct, easily obvious answer. Layna preferred a puzzle, whereas only grammar was the only literary aspect that required fitting everything together.

When the rest of the academic questions were completed, Layna glanced at her watch. They'd been in the air for a little over two hours, and she still hadn't started the second half.

_Oh well,_ Layna thought. _The rest of the questions are about me, how hard can they be?_

She was right. After over two hours of what felt like homework on steroids, the questionnaire was quite simple. It asked her what languages she spoke fluently (English, Japanese, and Spanish), what languages she knew fairly well, but not fluently (Chinese, German, Russian, and Greek), her interests (learning, music, puzzles), what she disliked (imperfection, unknown variables), things of that sort.

Layna came to the last question. 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'

Being a junior in high school, she'd already given the question a lot of thought. Forensics and history were her favorite subjects by far, so a detective, like her parents, and an archeologist were some of her top choices, as well as a biology or world history teacher. However, before she wrote her answer on the line, she wondered if she would ever be able to become that. Would Watari let her move back to America when she turned eighteen? Or would she be stuck in England?

Layna shook her head to clear away the thought. It was stupid of her to think she would still be treated as a child when she was a legal adult. But another thing had come to mind, something Layna felt was more important than what career she wanted to choose.

_What do I want to be when I grow up?_ Layna thought. _It's amazing how much weight is put every day on this question…_

Slowly, and with a hint of humor, Layna wrote in careful print her real goal in life.

'I want to be happy. ;)'

Satisfied, Layna put the papers in her carry-on bag and looked at her watch. The entire survey took her three hours, allowing five hours of sleep before they arrived in London. Having experienced jet lag before, and not in a hurry to do so again, Layna pushed aside the idea of going through the Kira files. After all, she still had a two hour train ride for that.

Reaching up, she turned off the light above her head and leaned up against the window, bringing her legs up so she was curled up into a ball in her seat. It was only 11pm in Arkansas, but because they were flying against the earth's rotation, Layna caught a glimpse of the first rays of dawn as she drifted off to sleep, hoping she wouldn't stand out to much in the Wammy's House the next day.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I still do not own Death Note.

Yet another space-filler. Probably my worst yet. The first seven or so chapters will be like this, so bear with me. (Mello, Matt, and Near do make an appearance during the next chapter.)

This is technically my first fanfiction. Usually I stick with writing short stories (and I have one for Death Note in mind that I'll publish around April 2012), because I don't have enough conviction to write much more. (Reason why I posted on , where the people of the Internet can keep me accountable for writing.) According to my 6th grade English teacher, creative people are either really happy, easy-going, and positive, or moody, self-hating, and perfectionists. I sadly fall into the latter, so I'm scared of my reviews. x)

Now that you know my entire writing history (gosh, I hope you skipped it...), can you do me a favor and write a review? I like things to be 75% positive and 25% critical, so I have enough motivation to write more.


	4. Chapter 4

The plane landed in the London Gatwick airport at ten in the morning. She boarded the train to Winchester, where she took out her laptop and skimmed over the Kira files just to refresh her memory. Just as Watari said, the train ride was only two hours long, not quite enough for Layna to look for any unread files in the case, but just enough to review her information.

Sure enough, when she got off the train, Layna spotted a man she supposed was Watari's chauffeur holding a sign that said "Michelle". Watari must've decided to keep the Lawsford name a secret from most, as Layna's parents had.

She walked up to the man, who looked nearly as old as Watari. "Roger Ruvie?" she asked.

"Welcome to Winchester, Miss Layna Michelle," he said in a monotonous voice. "If you could please come with me."

Ruvie led her to yet another black limousine. How rich is Watari, anyway? Layna thought. He opened the door for her then climbed into the front seat.

"Mr. Ruvie," Layna started. "If you don't mind me asking, are you Watari's butler?"

"No."

"Chauffeur?" she tried again.

"No."

"Relative?" Layna guessed.

"I am Watari's partner, and I am in charge of the Wammy's House when he is away," Ruvie answered. "I am dressed as a chauffeur to meet you today so that it will seem slightly more average than just having an underage foreigner show up in Winchester, unattended, and immediately be greeted by a seemingly rich man."

Layna leaned back. _That makes sense… sort of_, she thought.

The drive wasn't very long. Soon, Ruvie pulled up to an old building, which looked as though it had previously been a church. With a tall steeple, a small bell tower, and surrounding fence topped with Latin crosses, the only thing that suggested it wasn't a church was a sign on the entrance that said "The Wammy's House".

Ruvie pulled over along the sidewalk and Layna got out of the limousine. Outside the building, there were children playing soccer, where others played on the swings, and the remainder merely running about, enjoying the rare, mid-January sunshine.

"It's recess for the students," Ruvie said. "Speaking of school, do you by any chance have the papers Watari sent you with?"

Layna handed the man Watari's questionnaire as she walked in the gate, listening to what the other kids were saying.

"Ugh! Mello! Let the other kids have a chance to score!" a redheaded boy complained to a blonde, who had just apparently scored a goal in soccer.

"Hey, it's not my fault they can't keep up, Matt," Mello retorted, but surrendered the soccer ball over to his friend with a swift, calculated kick as Layna walked past.

Most of the children were boys, but there were a few girls among them. One sat underneath a large tree, sketchbook on her knees, staring in the distance. A boy with light brown hair walked up to her.

"Hey Linda!" he said. "What're drawing this time?"

Layna couldn't see the girl's sketchbook, but she heard her reply. "I'm wondering what A and B looked like when they lived at Wammy's. Oh yeah, have you seen Near, Scatter? I told him to come out, but I think he's still inside, building."

Layna figured the majority of the kids had a nickname at the school. Mello and Near, A and B, they obviously didn't sound like normal names.

As she continued on through the lawn of the orphanage towards the doorway, Layna became more and more aware of the curious pairs of eyes turning to look at her.

"A new face!" one boy whispered.

"She looks pretty old to just be coming to live at Wammy's. Do you think she's here to visit someone?"

Some of the kids closer to the entrance were starting to take a notice in her as well. The blonde boy, Mello, glanced at his redheaded friend. "Who the heck is she?"

At this point, Ruvie had caught up to Layna. "Back to your classes, students!" he called. "Recess is over!" He turned to look at Layna. "Don't mind them. There are hardly any new students nowadays, and you're the only one to come close to the oldest, and he's twenty four, away from the orphanage."

_Twenty four and still under Watari's care?_ Layna thought. _That must suck._

"Come along, then," Ruvie waved her inside as the last of the children made their way in. Matt stopped to hold the door open for Layna, and she noticed a boy, apparently albino, sitting on the floor, stacking a surprisingly large tower out of about fifty dice.

Mello walked up to him as he waited for Matt and snagged on of the dice that made up the base of the tower, making it tumble down. The albino seemed unfazed. "C'mon Near, class," he sneered. He and Matt ran down the hallway, snickering, as Ruvie shouted after him, "Mello!"

Layna stopped to help Near gather his dice. "What a jerk," she muttered under her breath. It looked as though Mello often tormented Near.

"Mello's extremely simple-minded," said Near matter-of-factly, without any emotion. "He often tends to let his emotions get the best of him, especially those fueled by anger or jealousy. Not hard to figure out. You get used to his pranks fairly quickly." The albino scooped up the rest of the dice and walked away as Layna watched him leave, puzzled.

Ruvie was slightly fuming when Layna rejoined him. "That was Matt, Mello, and Near. They are among Wammy's best and brightest, each at the very top of their class, yet there's nothing you can do to make them get along." He shook his head sadly. "Shame, too. Alone, none of them cannot surpass their mentors."

Ruvie led Layna down the main hallway into an office. "For today, Miss Michelle, you will not attend any classes. As students at the Wammy's House are trained to be self-sufficient and responsible, you are allowed to spend the day exploring the orphanage alone. But before I can release you to do that," Ruvie's tone of voice changed and became much darker for the first time since Layna met him. "Your true identity must remain a secret, known only by you as well as me and Watari. I suppose you have noticed some of the children have unusual names here. Those are not nicknames given, as you should've been able to notice Mello most certainly is not gentle, nor mature. It is an alias, each student has their own. Have you one in mind you can name off the top of your head?" he said, pulled out her file. Layna noticed it had her real last name, rather than the fake.

Layna pondered the question for a second. "Chari," she said, pronouncing it as car-ee. "It's spelled C-H-A-R-I." Layna knew, from the few words she knew by studying the language, that 'chari' was the Greek word for 'grace'.

Ruvie wrote the name down on the outside of the file. "Very well, Chari," he said. "Feel free to roam the orphanage until dinner, which is at six o'clock."

Layna made her way to the door. "Oh, and one more thing," Ruvie added as she turned around to face him again.

"Welcome to the Wammy's House."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Death Note is still not owned by Rival's Realm.

Huzzah, the Wammy boys made their debut in my fanfic. Too bad we'll hardly notice them until we get to Ending 1.

Really not much else I have to say about this chapter, except thanks to those who reviewed those previous. =)


	5. Chapter 5

Layna woke up extremely late the next morning. When she first looked at the clock, it was already noon. "Stupid jet lag," she groaned, dragging herself out of bed, feeling suddenly grateful that it was Saturday, and there weren't any classes. She looked over at her roommate's bed. Linda was already gone, as she should be this late in the morning, her bed already neatly made. Hoping lunch didn't start for another half hour, Layna showered and got dressed, attempting to comb her hair before leaving the room at twelve thirty. Strangely enough, not too many children were out in the hallway, and there weren't any sounds coming from outside that would suggest any of the children playing.

After wandering around for a while, Layna found where everyone had disappeared to. She poked her head inside a classroom, and there, everyone sat crammed inside. The chairs and desks had been removed, except for a single desk, upon which sat a laptop with a video camera. The only ones away from the group were Mello, who was leaving against a wall, eating a chocolate bar, and Near, seated at the back of the room, solving a Rubix cube, then messing it up, then solving it again just as fast or faster than the previous time. The children were whispering excitedly as Layna walked up to Ruvie. "What's going on?"

The old man was fiddling with the camera, positioning it just right. "L has decided to contact the children," he said without looking at her. "This doesn't happen often, and all of them have such a great respect for L that this is an exciting event for some of them. There, that'll do it," Ruvie said, pleased with the camera's location. "He will be able to see them, but they won't be able to see him. They'll merely interview him until it is time for him to leave, which could be at any moment. He's extremely busy lately," Ruvie added sadly.

Layna was set strangely on guard as she took her place among the others. _If I can't see his face, he won't see mine_, she thought, leaning against the frame of the door, back to the camera.

"There, is that good, L?" Ruvie asked.

There was a pause before Layna heard an answer. "Yes," L replied.

The children gasped. "He's not using the voice scrambler this time!" one of the boys whispered. "This is the first time he's done that!"

L waited patiently for the students to quiet down again before saying, "I shall begin with saying that all questions are accepted, unless they pry into my current case or would reveal too much about myself, my location, or my name. Now, who would like to begin?"

Every hand shot up, except, of course, Layna's, Mello's, or Near's. Layna could've sworn she heard L stifle a laugh from his end at the sight of the eager children.

"You. Down in the front, wearing the striped shirt," L said.

And so the interview continued from that point on. Someone would raise their hand, L would call on them based on what they were wearing, and he'd answer their question as best as he could. Layna never turned around, keeping her eyes focused on the corner, while she mentally took notes on every word he said.

"I try to envision the events that take place as individual elements," L said, as he was answering one of the children's questions. "I can then make a note of each one. But I can gain a better understanding when I combine all of the parts as a whole, which is why… I have very bad handwriting." The orphans laughed, a small smile crossing Layna's face. "Any more questions?"

It was Linda who asked next, really catching Layna's attention. "Could you tell me something you're not good at, or maybe something you're scared of?"

"Something I'm scared of?" L's voice coming from the computer didn't sound taken aback, disapproving, or defensive. On the contrary, he sounded thoughtful. "Well I suppose… monsters."

Again, the children laughed. But L wasn't finished yet. "There are many kinds of monsters in this world. Monsters who cause trouble without showing themselves, monsters who abduct children, monsters who devour dreams, monsters who suck blood... and then, monsters who tell nothing but lies. Lying monsters are a real nuisance: They are much more cunning than others. They pose as humans even though they have no understanding of the human heart; they eat even though they've never experienced hunger; they study even though they have no interest in academics; they seek friendship even though they do not know how to love. If I were to encounter such monsters, I would likely be eaten by them... because in truth, I am that monster."

This caught Layna by surprise, as well as the rest of the others in the room. Even Ruvie was staring wide-eyed at the screen. After about five minutes of silence, L spoke again.

"If no one has any other questions, I'm afraid I must return to my work now."

The laptop screen went black, and L and was gone.

The students began to file their way out the door, a slight melancholy look in their eyes. Mello spotted Matt and walked out with him, while Near was the last to leave, solving the Rubix cube five more times before making his way toward the door.

"Ruvie?" Layna asked. "Is L always like that?"

The graying man looked up from unplugging the laptop. "Hard to say. This has been the first time in three years L has decided to contact us. It almost makes you wonder the occasion." Ruvie began winding up the laptop cord. "L is known for being calculating and unfazed in every situation presented to him. Because of his ability to solve just about any mystery, his life is put in danger by those that do not want to be found out. It has isolated him from his family, if he still thinks of the Wammy's House as his home." Ruvie's eyes mirrored that of the children's. "I must say, I've often wondered what L would've been like, had he not been brought here in the first place."

The thought hadn't crossed Layna's mind until then. "Well, L is an orphan, right? Like the rest of… us?" She nearly choked on the last word, nearly saying them, with the death of her parents still fresh in her mind.

Ruvie didn't answer until he'd completely cleared the table and prepared to leave, laptop tucked under one arm. He studied Layna's face for a moment before saying, "I suppose you're correct."

Ruvie left the room, leaving Layna frustrated. Everything around her was always so secretive; the lack of truth was enough to drive her insane. It was like chaos in disguise, where everyone was paranoid. The only thing true about Layna's world was harsh to hear, yet every now and then, someone had to say it.

_Lying monsters are a real nuisance._ If Layna agreed with L on anything, it would have to be that.

As Layna stood alone in the empty room, she couldn't help but wonder if she was one, too. Since birth, or at least since infanthood, it seemed as though nearly every word that left her mouth was a lie. Or, as she put it when she was five, a "fairy tale", "fantasy", or "playing pretend". It's not like she did it on purpose; her parents were almost at stake. But as Layna thought about how they died, she wondered if it mattered in the end. Kira needs a name and a face. Faces were easy to find. Names of top secret FBI agents were not.

_At least it's not like I'm the one who killed them,_ Layna thought.

The sound of footsteps caught Layna's attention. She turned towards the doorway and saw Linda, whose pigtails were slightly messy from running.

"There you are!" She said brightly. "Lunch is starting soon. I figured I'd come find you. Wanna come down with me?" There was a smile on Linda's face, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She must've still been upset about L's interview.

"Oh, sure," Layna said. _Amazing_, she thought. _The only question I answer honestly every time has to do with physical survival_.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Probably my favorite chapter at this point in the story. L's Skype/monster scene is from "_Death Note Relight 2: L's Successors_".

Death Note and all things related are not owned by me.

There shall be about three or four more boring Layna characterization chapters. Trust me, I hate them too. But I have to stall while the early stages of the actual Death Note plotline come into affect. I ask for your patience a little while longer.

Thinking of uploading chapters two at a time now, since I usually have up to five extra written ahead of time.


	6. Chapter 6

"Chari!"

The sharp, annoyed shout from across the room only amplified the loud crack of a ruler slamming against a desk. Layna snapped back to reality, for the first time realizing how long she had been daydreaming. Last time she checked, it was 2:47 in the afternoon. Now, it was 3:32. Class ended nearly twenty minutes ago.

The teacher rolled his eyes. "My word, Chari," he began. "I allow you to let your mind wander during class because of your high marks in forensic science. And only during class. I can't babysit you twenty minutes after the bell while I wait for you to return to Earth! I'd assumed you'd remember where you were once the bell rang, or at least ten minutes afterwards. But, my word, child! I'm not allowed to leave campus until my classroom is locked, and I can't lock it with you inside!"

Layna allowed the teacher to rant for a while longer as she gathered her things. "Yes, sir. I know, sir. It won't happen again, sir!" she said over and over again as she made her way out the door.

If there was anything Layna enjoyed about the Wammy's House, it was the fact that everyone was as strange as or stranger than she was. In her forensics class alone, she'd counted eight people sitting in a strange way; some perched like birds, some laying on their stomachs, others hung by their knees upside-down from their desk. There were students who constantly moved, whether they paced, wrung their hands, or played with their hair. There was one girl who slowed everyone down, always making everything perfect, right down to how she crossed her T's and dotted her I's. She took forever to copy notes because every letter had to be written absolutely perfectly. Almost everyone had a snack next to them as they worked, usually something sweet or sugary, like fruit or candy. The interesting thing about it all was that Layna was the one standing out for being normal.

Layna headed to her dorm to get started on her homework. No one would be outside today, with the sky so gray and dreary. At that point, Layna had gotten used to the rainy weather of England. But the Wammy's House was so strange and bright it made up for the outer appearance of the school. She often found herself comparing the school to Alice's Wonderland. Everyone was completely mad, but there was an unusual feeling of euphoria that caused you to overlook that one detail.

Linda was laying on her stomach, drawing in her sketchbook when Layna pushed through the door. "Hey, Chari," she said, not looking up from her sketchbook. Drawing was Linda's niche, similar to how chocolate was Mello's, video games were Matt's, and dice—or anything that could be stacked, for that matter—was were Near's. Layna still had to find her own, though at this point it appeared zoning out was her specialty.

The two girls sat in silence for a while as Layna finished her homework and Linda finished her sketch. It was nearly 4:30 in the afternoon when both of them had completed their projects. Layna looked over at what Linda had done.

Her picture was unusual, to say the least. The paper was split down the middle, with the dividing line extremely prominent, the sides mirroring each other. The person she drew was split right down the middle, and the room behind him was perfectly symmetrical, containing only a large, king-sized bed. The left side of the picture was pure white, other than the outlines, shading, and the man's shaggy black hair. The other side, however, maintained the same base color, white, but it was covered in red stains, that looked all too similar to blood. The man's right side also had various black patches looking like massive burns, and his eyes were paler, less lifelike.

Linda noticed Layna staring at her picture, and made a brief attempt to hide it before showing it to her. "This is B. The second original successor to L, after A committed suicide. Well, B did too, but I knew B a bit more." A sad look crossed Linda's eyes. "B was brilliant. But he tried too hard to surpass L, and ended up in prison, after an attempt at suicide, by burning himself to death. B… his name stood for Backup, and I suppose he wanted to be more than the original, more than just a copy." Linda sighed, putting down her sketchbook. "Every student at Wammy's is here to become L's successor. I guess… I don't want to end up like B."

She looked up at Layna, a strange dark, evil glint in her eye that was out of character for Linda. "It sucks to be you. You're the oldest here now, and if rumors are true, you're just as smart as Mello, but not as smart as Near. That makes you tied with the others to become L's successor. The only thing you lack is a half-decent personal relationship with L," she said half-thoughtfully, leaning back. "I hope you're not ambitious, or competitive. Because the way things are looking now…" The auburn-haired girl shook her head sadly. "Someone's going to die before L picks his successor."

In a sad attempt at lightening the mood, Layna let out a small laugh. "C'mon, Linda. You can't be serious. How bad can it be?"

Linda raised an eyebrow, not saying anything.

Sighing, Layna sat down on her bed. "Personal relationship with L, huh?" she mused. "Care to tell me how I can start with it? Not that I'm taking any huge interest in becoming L's successor or anything," she added hurriedly.

Linda almost giggled. "Sorry, you missed your chance that day L contacted us. I saw you, leaned away from the screen, being almost as antisocial as Near. And trust me, that's hard to do. You could've sparked an interest in L for you, but," she shrugged, uncaring; "you gave up your only chance."

Layna stared at the ceiling, her opinion of L slowly sinking lower and lower, out of her mere spiteful feelings for him.

"Chari," Linda said, slightly kinder now. "I wouldn't totally give up yet. No doubt L's heard of you, wherever he is now. While the rest of us at Wammy's are under his care because this is an orphanage, you—well, and I guess L—are the only two that have Watari as your legal guardian. He is required by law to keep an eye on you. I'm sure if L hasn't heard about you yet, he will pretty soon." Linda sat up. "And hey, if Near or Mello or, heaven forbid, Matt get picked to be L's successor over you, at least you can walk the path of… almost stable mind, with the rest of us who didn't make the cut."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> (Do y'all actually read these?)

Here's what Rival wants you to take away from this chapter:

Rival still doesn't own Death Note, Layna is a daydreamer, Linda is slightly less innocent than some make her out to be, and Rival is still stalling.

Suckish short chapter. I beg of thee for thou patience and reviews, and thine's forgiveness for the sudden medieval accent.


	7. Chapter 7

That night, Layna dreamed about her parents.

Everything was dark, with black clouds circling overhead blocking out most of the light given by the moon, a single white disk trying to shine in the sky. Here and there, stars poked their way through the gaps in the clouds. Night lay upon the small town, all was quiet.

Layna was half-awake, quite an accomplishment for a growing infant. She supposed the only reason she fought to keep her eyes open was her father, crouching at the base of their manor. Her mother held Layna tightly in her arms against her chest. A few sparks were emitted from her father's hands as he tried to light a match. At last, Samuel Lawsford was able to make a small flame, only to hold it closely against the wood until it caught fire.

"I'm hardly happy about this," Rebecca Lawsford whispered to her husband. "But if it's for our son, our daughter…" her voice trailed off as the flames licked up the back side of the manor, and she held Layna tighter..

A man, dressed completely in black, emerged, sprinting from the back door of their home. It appeared as though he were lucky to get out in time.

"You… were supposed to… wait…" he wheezed. Layna hadn't realized how old the man was until he went into a coughing fit. The scent of smoke on his clothes just barely masked another: the smell of death.

"Burned beyond any hope of recovering DNA," Layna's father mused. "I hope this works, Quillish. Not only are all of our lives at stake, should someone realize we haven't died, but you are taking our firstborn from us." There was a bitter edge to Samuel's voice. It was plain that he, just like his wife, was not happy with the situation they were being put in.

"I will retrieve your son tomorrow when he returns from school. You do not need to worry, Sam. He will be in good hands."

As he spoke, the fire began to engulf the house entirely, the red and orange flames dancing in the cool autumn night. The old man handed Layna's parents two bags, murmured a goodbye, and ran out, shouting "Help! Help!"

Layna and her parents sat crouched behind one of their shrubs, bidding their last informal farewells to their English home. The baby in Rebecca's arms watched wide-eyed as the flames roared, wood blackened, and the house started to fall.

It was only then, did the current, seventeen year old Layna realize she was dreaming. Suddenly, she was no longer young, and no longer in her mother's arms. The house still blazed, but it was silent, with not even the crickets chirping an alarm to the danger.

Then, out of the flames, a young boy, probably nineteen, emerge from the flames. His eyes were a bright green, but the life was stolen out of them. His skin was blackened all along his body, and there were parts of his plain white shirt and jeans that were completely burned away. There was no mistaking it; it had to be B, from Linda's art project. He slowly, and not without great effort, made his way toward Layna, who tried to scream, but nothing made any sound.

It was unnatural, seeing such a mutilated human still stand. His walk was almost zombie-like as he stumbled toward her, hands outstretched to most likely strangle her. When all of the sudden, B stopped, falling to his knees, clutching his chest, as though he was undergoing cardiac arrest. He collapsed in front of Layna, who could do nothing but stare silently, lips parted in shock.

* * *

><p>Layna shot up, shaking, with sweat running down her face. She glanced at her clock. It was 4:32 in the morning, January 21, 2007. Laying back down, she curled up into a ball, trying to make sense of the dream. Obviously, Linda's picture had scared her enough to make the image reappear in Layna's sub-consciousness. But as for the first part… it seemed to fit Layna's earliest memory of a house burning down. Her mind must've put pieces together, to make up for her inattentiveness as a one year old. She highly doubted her house was intentionally burned down by her own father. But then again, there was a four percent chance otherwise…<p>

And what was that about the Lawsfords' son? Last Layna checked, she never had a brother. There were no pictures around her house with his face. The only male name listed in any document in her house was Samuel L. Lawsford. Sighing, Layna shrugged off that detail. _After all,_ she thought. I was dreaming. _I guess I just dreamed that I had an actual brother._

Layna rolled over, looking at the one picture she'd been allowed to take from her old house. It showed her family from the waist up, with Layna, yet again, in Rebecca Lawsford's arms. It was taken in front of their house in England, on Layna's first birthday, December 21, 1990. The picture was small, in an equally small frame. Layna guessed it couldn't have been more than three inches wide, three inches long.

In the other bed, Linda was sleeping soundly. Layna couldn't help but wonder about Linda's background, but thought of appearing nosy or prying was enough to convince her not to ask. The secrecy of every student that attended the school was enough to drive Layna insane.

_Every student at Wammy's is here to become L's successor._

L's successor. L's clone, his copy. Layna supposed it only made sense. The world's greatest detective also just happened to be the most antisocial and secretive person on Earth. Therefore, all who followed him must be the same.

Which only meant all who wanted to succeed him as the world's greatest detective had to be antisocial and secretive.

Which only angered Layna even more.

The extremely ticked-off teenager swore into her pillow at anything and everything she thought she could blame for ruining her life, turning it into one big guessing game, making her a player the world's largest and most intricate game of hide-and-seek. Whoever found L first won, only to take his place.

One name continually rose up in her thoughts, even if they were not the complete and total source of all things evil in Layna's life, they still cleared many others by a landslide. Layna still held it over him, blaming him for being the sole reason she was plunged unwillingly into the secrets of L and the mental house.

Kira.

He was the reason her parents were dead, and why Layna was completely alone now in the masquerade of Wammy's.

_But, should I become L's successor, I might as well get used to the loneliness, _she thought bitterly.

_Ha, as if I'd ever want to, of my own free will, decide to join that antisocial freak in the same line of work. I'll be leaving this institution the first chance I get._

After thinking about it awhile longer, Layna realized only two things kept her from running away from the Wammy's House. The first being that she wasn't a legal adult, and that it would be nice to get a high school diploma for whatever line of work she chose to pursue when she was safely back in America. The second was that she was as close as she could get, no matter how much she despised it, to the Kira case, and, irritably, L. If she warmed up to Watari enough when (and if) he returned from Japan, there was a slim chance she might be able to get over there to avenge her parents' deaths. Layna had not quite forgotten the promise she made to herself about that.

**Author's Note:** Yes, painfully short chapter. They'll get longer around Chapter 11 or so. And if you haven't figured _it_ ('it' being the main idea I had for this fanfic) out yet, I suppose I need to make it much more painfully obvious in the following chapters.

Anyway, I was reading _Death Note: Another Note, the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases_ before I wrote this, so I hope that explains Beyond Birthday's appearance.

I like reviews. Especially nice ones. =) Please don't comment about the length of the chapters, though so as you wish, because I realize they're short. I'm working on it. Thankyee!


	8. Chapter 8

By the time the sunlight finally filtered in through the blinds the next day, Layna had gotten no more than four hours of sleep, because of nightmares and slight insomnia. Dark circles were starting to develop underneath her eyes, not unlike the majority of the orphans at Wammy's.

It was a Sunday, so classes were cancelled, for the few religious students at the orphanage. School was usually held on Saturdays for the truly dedicated, but that weekend very few had showed up, and Layna assumed it was because of the comment L made a few days prior.

_"They study, even though they have no real interest in academics."_

Layna swung her legs off the bed and rubbed her eyes, having little desire to do anything that day. Sadly, even at that hour, the weather outside proved to be great, and some of the younger kids appreciated having her around outside. And Layna, having a soft spot for the orphans under the age of ten, never could bring herself to declining their invitation. Thus, in the week or so she'd spent at Wammy's, a lot of the orphans saw her as a motherly figure, the same way they'd already seen L as a father, even though his absence was painfully obvious to some.

After showering and getting dressed, Layna headed down the main staircase to the cafeteria, where the rest of the other late risers would be eating leftovers from those who got up earlier. "The early bird gets the worm" truly applied at the Wammy's House, as well as "He who strikes first wins." But just as Layna was pushing open the door of the dining area, she heard someone call.

"Chari, may I see you for a moment?"

It was Ruvie, standing at the door of the headmaster's office. Layna sighed reluctantly, and, stomach growling, made her way to the office.

Inside, Ruvie had his laptop on his desk, facing away from his chair. The screen was white, with a single black, calligraphic 'W' on the screen.

"It's good to see you again, Chari," Watari said. "How has your stay been?"

Layna was almost confused, and slightly annoyed, by Watari's attempt at small talk. "Well, for the one week I've been here, I'd say it's been fairly decent, Mr. Watari. It appears you have quite the school built up here in England," Layna answered, trying to appear painstakingly polite.

"Glad to hear so. However, I did not contact Ruvie to find out if you were getting along alright. What would you say if I asked you to leave the school for about six months, and stay with me in Japan?"

That caught Layna off guard. There had to be some reason Watari would suddenly ask her what she had been hoping to hear ever since she set foot in England. What could've brought Watari to asking her that? Linda had made it quite clear that Layna had completely screwed any chance of L taking an interest in her, because of how she appeared when he contacted the House. But then again, what if L had been looking for someone who wasn't like everyone else?

Watari went on. "After reviewing your high school transcript from America, and the way Ruvie reported you had handled yourself in the week you've lived at my orphanage, L has decided to request you to become an addition to the Kira investigation team, because while he believes your problem-solving skills are slightly lacking, it is plain to everyone that you have a gift when it comes to forensics, which could be of some use to us. Also," Watari sounded a bit annoyed at what would come next. "Government-wise, as your caretaker I should probably be within five thousand miles of you."

Layna was dumbstruck, and she hoped it wasn't too plain on her face. No doubt Watari could see her, so she fought to keep a calm expression.

"Do not take this offer lightly, Chari," Watari said, his tone of voice slightly darkening. "I realize this was the same investigation your parents were working on when they were killed. I hope you do not take this as an opportunity to seek revenge, and not think it through as well as you should, but I also don't want you to shy away from it at the thought of losing your life. I will be honest, Chari, and tell you that everyone currently on the Kira investigation team is risking their lives as we speak to catch this killer."

Layna fought to keep a smirk off her face at the last bit. It was as though Watari was challenging her, teasing her, saying she couldn't handle it, or would be scared to. On the contrary, Layna already knew what her answer was going to be, and didn't think she could get to Japan fast enough. Watari had seen right through her, and she was slightly impressed, though it must've been painfully obvious to anyone around what Layna's true motive was.

"I would be glad to assist you, Mr. Watari. It would be an honor to work alongside you and L in this case, and I promise to do the best I can on it." Layna hoped it sounded like she meant the last part. In truth, she couldn't care less. Yes, L's intellect was beyond superior, and he would be a valuable asset to Layna, but she would not be the first to jump at an opportunity to work with someone she hardly knew, unless they could give her something she wanted.

_Listen to yourself_, Layna! she thought. _You're treating this like it's your own investigation that you're in charge of._

"Excellent," Watari said. "I shall give Ruvie the instructions for your departure, and see you in Japan in two days."

The laptop screen went black, and Layna couldn't help but feel as though things were finally looking up… for once.

One the other end of the conversation, Watari stood up and looked at the young man beside him. "Ryuzaki, do you still believe this was a good idea? To bring someone as young and inexperienced as Chari into the investigation?"

The young man, with pale skin and unkempt black hair, said nothing at first, thumb pressed lightly against his lips. "We are considering to enlist in the help of Light Yagami, are we not, Watari? If her record you gave me is correct, Chari is fairly intelligent, when compared with only Matt."

His companion shook his head. "It's much different for her. You must've known her parents were here in Japan before they were killed by Kira, only a little less than a month ago. It gives her a fairly good reason for why she would jump at the chance to come here, and help in any way possible. Doesn't that give her a bit of an impulsive edge, maybe wanting to do anything and everything in her power to catch Kira? Do not overlook the fact that Chari is even younger than Light, if you wish to look at age."

Ryuzaki waited patiently while Watari finished his defense. "Watari, you said yourself Chari was worthy to become my successor. I already know about Mello and Near, they will be fine, and my conversation with the orphans a few days ago only proves that. Chari, however…" Ryuzaki paused, trying to remember what her face had looked like on the screen. "I have yet to observe the way she handles things. It appeared as those she did not trust me, which already leads me to believe she is cautious and wary, two qualities I was looking for." Ryuzaki thought a moment longer. "Besides, it is already an established fact that Kira originated from the Kanto region of Japan, and based on what information you have relayed to me, Chari is an American, currently residing in your care. Chances of her having even the smallest amount of contact with Kira are just ever so slightly under two percent. So, it is extremely doubtful she can kill like Kira."

The old man sighed. "I guess there is no changing it now. I hope you have an idea in mind where we will be able to keep her during her stay in Japan."

Ryuzaki got to his feet, the hunch in his back becoming more noticeable when he stood. "I'd like to have her stay with the Yagamis, to do an extra bit of surveillance on Light, but that is near impossible. It seems as though she will have to stay with you and me as we switch from hotel to hotel, but I would like to spend as little time with her as possible, as I am not entirely certain she can be trusted quite yet."

He made his way to the door, picking up a black case leaned against the wall. "Now, if you'll excuse me Watari, Light Yagami has invited me to play tennis."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Haven't updated in awhile. So sorry. I believe we have hit 10,000 words, so I'm feeling proud.

L has made his appearance, and we make our way through the actual Death Note plot! Which I still claim no rights to!

*Totally Pointless* Finally decided on Layna's pairing, after considering Mello, Near, Rester, Gevanni, Matsuda (don't ask), and Matt. =3 LaynaxGevanni/Stephen Loud.


	9. Chapter 9

Layna found a bit of comfort with the quiet roar of the airplanes' engines subsiding as the taxi drove farther and farther away from the airport. It had been a total of three days since Watari had invited her to join him in the Kira investigation, and since then, flight arrangements were made, her hotel room was booked, she had a completely new identity, including birth certificate and driver's license. Layna had to admit, Watari could move pretty quickly, when he had to. Her new name was Kasumi Sayo, in Western order, and according to her license, her birthday was May 5, 1988. She was a native of Japan, but her father was half-British, explaining her physical appearance.

The raven-haired girl slipped her cell phone out of her pocket as it buzzed. It was a text message, from "Unknown Number". Undoubtedly Watari. The cell phone had been given to her as Ruvie dropped her off at the airport in London, so Watari would be the only one to have her number

"_I may not be able to meet with this evening_."

Layna's mood took a turn for the worse at the message. But the messages kept coming.

"_The driver will drop you off at Kohaku Sakura Hotel_."

"_From there you will walk five blocks west to Shiroi Hasu Suito_."

"_Your room is on the top floor. Last room to the right_."

She memorized the instructions. Not only did Layna not want to have her phone out, looking like she was lost, but should her phone get stolen…

Bzzzzz.

Sure enough, the next message read, "_Delete all messages after you've read them. –L_"

Huh. So L thought it important enough to message her himself. At least it probably meant that Watari would see her today, and she wouldn't be completely on her own. And besides, it's not like Layna was in any hurry to meet the detective anyway. She did as she was told, clearing her Inbox. The taxi drove on for a while longer, before coming to a stop in front of Kohaku Sakura. Layna got out, paid the driver what was due, and began making her way towards Shiroi Hasu.

Once inside, Layna got the key from the front desk and rode the elevator to the top floor, last room on the right. She hesitated at first to enter the room, then decided it would be best to knock.

Watari answered the door and Layna forced a half-smile, which was not returned. Watari made a gesture that clearly stated 'Keep quiet and follow me.' The lobby of the suite had two doors that led into two separate areas; one was a bedroom, the other door was shut. Layna could just barely make out the voices inside.

"We're talking about someone who's been missing for four months already. Chances are she's probably dead."

"If you're right about that, I find it odd that we—"

Watari shut the door to Layna's bedroom, cutting off whoever was speaking. "Stay here until I tell you that you have permission to leave. There is a bathroom connected to this room. I apologize, but you will have no role in the investigation until L has given you full permission, which he will grant after he observes you for a while longer." At that, Watari left her room, shutting the door behind him.

Curious, Layna pressed her ear to wall, hoping it wasn't thick, feeling childish but not wanting to go without knowing where the Kira case was going at that point.

The voices were faint, but she could just barely make out Watari's voice.

"Ryuzaki… happening… Sakura TV…"

Well that was helpful, Layna thought, backing away from the wall. Her room didn't have a television inside, so Layna quickly gave up on what they might be discussing. But she didn't need to eavesdrop to hear what was said—or rather, shouted—next.

"Stop this broadcast! We can't let him finish!"

Intrigued, Layna moved towards the wall again.

"Get Sakura TV on the line!"

"It's no good, none of my contacts at the station have their phones on."

"No one's picking up at reception either!"

"Damn it! I'll stop this broadcast myself if that's what it takes!" She heard hurried footsteps and a door slam.

There were a few minutes of rushed orders and phone calls, all of which proved to be futile. There was a buzz of the broadcast in the background, and it was hard to determine what was going on in the first place. She heard someone gasp, and faintly heard the name 'Aizawa'.

"Ukita… dammit! Kira did this!"

Layna leaned against the wall, sorely tempted to disobey Watari, but decided revealing her presence could wait. At this point, she didn't know what voice belonged to whom, or what was even happening. All she could deduce was that someone on the investigative force was either injured or dead. After a long while without hearing what was going on, a phone rang. As always, only about half of what was being said could be heard by Layna.

"In about five minutes I want you to exit the building through the front entrance," the person on their end of the line said. Layna assumed it was L, or Ryuzaki, or whatever he was having those working on the Kira case call him.

After that, Layna heard little else. It seemed as though the issue, which appeared to be the safety of an officer, was resolved. It was about ten minutes later when she heard a creaking in the door hinges as someone entered the suite through the main door. Layna figured now was the best time.

The pale seventeen year old slipped out of her bedroom, making her way to the other room quietly. She peeked around the corner, hoping she wouldn't seem too suspicious should someone notice her.

Watari was helping a man, probably in his late forties, sit down. One of the men in the room was examining tapes and a folder brought in a back, before handing it off to another investigator that sported a slight afro.

"Mr. Aizawa," he said. "Can you please take these down to the crime lab right away?"

_Now might be a good time, before he walks out and sees me_, Layna thought. Swallowing whatever anxiety she had within her, Layna moved out from behind the doorframe and said, "Sir, I might be of use if you want to examine that."

'Shocked' is not the term one would use to describe the reaction to Layna's sudden appearance. Two of the officers pulled out guns and aimed them at her, while she slightly raised her hands in surrender. Watari scowled. "My name is Kasumi Sayo," Layna began. "I have been brought here upon L's request to assist in the investigation." She hoped her voice was shaking too badly. It was the first time her life could possibly be on the line.

One of the men stepped forward. He had black, unkempt hair, pale skin stretched over his bony figure, and dark, hollow eyes, with circles beneath them to match. He wore a long sleeved white shirt and faded denim jeans, and appeared to be the only one in the room not surprised to see Layna there. "Disobeying orders. Watari, she has proved to be more reckless than you made out. Matsuda, Mogi, please lower your guns. Miss Sayo is telling the truth."

Layna bit back a sarcastic retort. This disheveled young man—at least, he looked like the youngest in the room—had to be L, the way he gave orders. He certainly didn't look the way Layna imagined the world's greatest detective.

"And Kasumi," L began. "I will not allow you to work in any way on this case until I'm certain I can trust you completely."

Layna hoped the disappointment wasn't too clear on her face, but she understood.

The detective turned and sat down in front of the television. "You are all free to go for the night," he said. "I will watch the tapes and see if they can tell us anything."

Once everyone had departed, save Layna and Watari, L spoke again. "Miss Lawsford," Layna flinched at the use of her last name. She could've sworn the corner of L's mouth twitched upwards, knowing he struck a chord. "I did not appreciate you minor stunt this evening, and ask you stay confined to your bedroom." He turned to look at her. "There are few things I tolerate, Miss Lawsford. If I see you as a threat to the investigation because of your refusal to follow the simplest of orders, regardless who they are sent out by, I will have you sent back to Watari's orphanage."

Layna nodded solemnly. "Yes, L."

The dark haired detective fiddled with one of the tapes before putting it into the VCR. "As I am certain you understand little of what went on tonight, Kira, who you have undoubtedly heard of, sent a tape and asked it to be aired on Sakura TV. One of our investigators on hand, Watiki, went down to the station only to be killed. Through the efforts of the Japanese police and our deputy investigator, we were able to obtain the tape and those following." L turned around to face Layna. "I will allow you to watch these only when you have been made a full member of the task force. For now, I will have Watari wake you in the morning. Good night, Miss Lawsford."

When Watari woke Layna the next morning, the rest of the officers had already arrived. L quickly said what each of their names was before getting back to the matter at hand.

"The tapes were definitely interesting," he began. "If the police had said yes, and agreed to cooperate with Kira, tape number three was supposed to be aired, and tape four, if the answer was no. Tape three covers the terms of cooperation. Simply, he asks that we broadcast the names of more criminals. He seems particularly interested in those who have assaulted others, or those who have somehow hurt or taken advantage of the weak and defenseless. Of course, Kira would play the role of the judge in all this. Furthermore, as proof that the police are willing to cooperate, he wants police officials and L to appear on TV to make a public announcement that we plan to cooperate with him. He needs us to reveal our faces, that way he can kill us if the police do anything suspicious. In other words, he'll hold our lives as insurance."

"I see," Yagami said. "What about the content of the fourth video, if we answer no?"

"The wording was different, but he more or less says the same thing. Mr. Yagami, it should go without saying that the answer is no. Please have someone take tape number four over to Sakura TV, and authorize them to broadcast it."

"I can only say it's a shame that the answer is no."

About two hours later, Layna was sitting with the rest of the officers. The only one who didn't appear uncomfortable about the latest addition was L.

"It's clear that the police wish to oppose me," the broadcast went on. "This will not go unpunished. So, I'll start by taking the life of the director general of the NPA, or the detective, known as L, who is currently leading the investigation against me. The director general, or L. Who will pay the price for the refusal to cooperate with the creation of a peaceful world? You have four days to decide."

A few minutes following the broadcast, Yagami walked in. "Ryuzaki, I'm afraid it's as you thought. Several of our member countries have weighed in, and it seems most are in favor of having the real L appear on TV."

"I believe that is the most appropriate choice, given the options. Well, we still have three days before it happens," L, who was sitting perched like a bird, mused. Layna didn't quite understand him. He was talking about what could be considered suicide without even slight emotion. "After all, this would really annoy me… getting killed by the first person to jump on the Kira bandwagon."

"Ryuzaki, what do you mean by that?" Yagami asked.

"That there is a strong possibility that this Kira is a fake. No, we should think of him more as a second Kira…" L replied.

"Second Kira?" Layna said. Last time she checked, L placed no restrictions on her contributions to conversations. Only when something completely confidential was being discussed did he send her out of the room. "How did you come up with that?"

"The victims used by Kira in the first tape for his predictions were used only to prove that he was Kira, appearing only in tabloids, not entirely criminals," L explained, "The second Kira had to make certain he wouldn't kill a criminal the first Kira would kill before him. I'd say there's more than a 70% chance of a second Kira, and I really don't like the way he operates, through killing innocents. But, should we catch him…" L looked up, a slight hopeful gleam in his dark eyes. "I have a feeling he can help lead us to the first Kira. And Mr. Yagami, I'd like your permission to ask your son to cooperate with us on this investigation. His deductive abilities would be invaluable to us right now."

This caught Layna's attention. Who else could've intrigued the detective enough to invite them to join in as well?

_I guess I have no choice but to wait and see,_ Layna thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Sorry for the sudden jump in chapter length. I'll try to keep the following chapters less verbatim.

I do not own Death Note nor any plotline or character affiliated with it.


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